Unit 10
Lesson 3
Student’s Book pages 80 and 81
1 Look at the photographs. What do you think you are going to read about? Choose the correct topic.
a the museums of Crete
b the ancient people of Crete
c the people living in Crete today
The key words
|
The word / phrase |
The meaning |
The part of speech |
|
cattle |
a group of animals that includes cows, buffalo, and bison, that are often kept for their milk or meat |
Noun |
|
deposits |
a layer of a mineral, metal or anything else that gradually develops in a particular place due to natural processes or disasters |
Noun |
|
navy |
the part of a country’s military forces that fights at sea |
Noun |
|
paved roads |
a path, etc., covered with a hard level surface such as blocks of stone or concrete |
Noun |
|
piece together |
to use all the information you have about a situation in order to discover the truth about it |
Noun |
|
tsunami |
a huge wave that flows over the land and destroys things |
Noun |
3 Read the article and check your answer to exercise 1.
The Minoan civilisation ruled the Mediterranean island of Crete for 1,500 years, until it was destroyed in 1450 BC. The Minoans built the first paved roads in Europe and introduced running water. They had a powerful navy, which might have been why they were such a strong civilisation for so long.
For many years, people have been trying to find out why this developing civilisation might have disappeared. Even after Crete was hit by a large earthquake around 1,700 BC, the Minoans rebuilt their cities. So what caused their civilisation to end?
Many experts say that the end of the Minoan civilisation might have been caused by the eruption of a volcano on the nearby island of Santorini, almost 3,500 years ago.
However, at Knossos in Crete, scientists have been examining deposits of ash, marine species, cattle bones and seashells in the soil. How could these deposits have got there? The only answer is that they must have been deposited in Crete by a tsunami.
Experts have now pieced together a possible explanation of what might have happened. They believe that several tsunamis might have hit the northern and eastern shores of the island, every thirty minutes due to the eruption of the volcano on Santorini. It must have been a terrifying experience for the Minoans living there!
Answers
b
While reading
The Minoan civilisation ruled the Mediterranean island of Crete for 1,500 years, until it was destroyed in 1450 BC. The Minoans built the first paved roads in Europe and introduced running water. They had a powerful navy, which might have been why they were such a strong civilisation for so long.
For many years, people have been trying to find out why this developing civilisation might have disappeared. Even after Crete was hit by a large earthquake around 1,700 BC, the Minoans rebuilt their cities. So what caused their civilisation to end?
Many experts say that the end of the Minoan civilisation might have been caused by the eruption of a volcano on the nearby island of Santorini, almost 3,500 years ago.
However, at Knossos in Crete, scientists have been examining deposits of ash, marine species, cattle bones and seashells in the soil. How could these deposits have got there? The only answer is that they must have been deposited in Crete by a tsunami.
Experts have now pieced together a possible explanation of what might have happened. They believe that several tsunamis might have hit the northern and eastern shores of the island, every thirty minutes due to the eruption of the volcano on Santorini. It must have been a terrifying experience for the Minoans living there!
The text talks about:
-The Minoans contribute to the development of civilization.
-The disappearance of the Minoan civilisation a mystery.
- Crete was hit by tsunamis.
After reading
-What do many experts say about the end of the Minoan civilisation?
Many experts say that the end of the Minoan civilisation might have been caused by the eruption of a volcano on the nearby island of Santorini, almost 3,500 years ago.